Breaking the sugar habit may call for a method that is rarely thought about. Getting sufficient sleep is the remedy to the sugar cravings linked to sleep loss.

Key takeaways:

People will drink significantly more sugar sweetened and caffeinated drinks if they get little sleep.

Sleeping for less than five hours predisposed people to drinking 21 percent more sugar sweetened, caffeinated beverages.

By improving their sleep, people can then improve on their ability to break the habit and limit their sugar intake.

“We think there may be a positive feedback loop where sugary drinks and sleep loss reinforce one another, making it harder for people to eliminate their unhealthy sugar habit,” said lead author Aric Prather, an assistant professor of psychiatry.